Stephen Curry made the ultimate sacrifice
Stephen Curry, the Golden State Warriors’ two-time Most Valuable Player, made a huge sacrifice by accepting Kevin Durant to his team.
Stephen Curry did something no superstar in the National Basketball Association has ever done. He didn’t retire suddenly or put up monumental numbers (though he has also done that). He didn’t win the first championship in his franchise’s history, but he made sure they’d win more.
Steph Curry made the ultimate sacrifice by handing his team over to someone else. No other superstar would ever be fine with Kevin Durant joining his team. Everyone wants great teammates, but no one wants someone that could potentially be greater than them.
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As a two-time MVP with a championship under his belt, Curry didn’t need another MVP to join his team. He was the undeniable leader of a squad that made history two years in a row. He already cemented himself as a great.
Despite that, Curry traveled to the Hamptons last summer. He met with free agent Kevin Durant. He offered to share the spotlight with the 2014 NBA MVP.
When Durant decided to take his talents to the Bay Area, Curry took a step back. He took himself out of his own game to let his new superstar teammate feel comfortable. He deferred over and over again, to the point of hurting himself.
Curry sacrificed his numbers. He sacrificed his reputation and the potential for a greater legacy. He sacrificed his team for the sake of the team.
Players have teamed up with other great stars. But there has never been a situation in which a back-to-back MVP openly welcomed another elite star while in his prime. And there has never even been a star who, if confronted with the situation, would make that call.
Every player says he wants to win and, on some level, wants to. But Curry clearly values it above everything else. He made sure that it happened.
Kevin Durant stood on the stage holding the Bill Russell Finals MVP trophy. He celebrated with his mother then he turned to Curry to hug him. Curry made that happen.
None of this would be possible without Curry’s sacrifices. His friendly contract made it possible to retain and sign stars. His willingness to share the stage made it possible to achieve the goal.
Talent alone doesn’t win it. We’ve seen what it looks like when Durant plays alongside an elite point guard who isn’t willing to let go of that top spot. Curry doesn’t care.
It’s still Curry’s team. He was the one who started this whole thing. He is the reason it will keep going on. He didn’t win MVP or, even, Finals MVP, but he got what he wanted.
Steph Curry sacrificed everything to get everything.